Food Fraud: Most Common Food Fakes

What is food fraud? Some food products and ingredients are deliberately tampered with or misrepresented, and some food packaging includes false or misleading statements made about those products  generally because its producers think it will sell better. Though most food fraud isn't seriously harmful or unhealthy  fruit juices, for example, are occasionally watered down or contain juice from other fruits not listed on the front label  it's important for consumers to know what they're buying. If you plan to pay top dollar for high-quality or exotic ingredients, check out our list first  some of the most popular products on your grocery store shelves may not be exactly what you think they are.

Cheese Food and Cheese Product

Really good real cheese is a thing of beauty  a rich food that can be savory, salty, sweet, creamy, or sharp. But what about those words you see scattered all over your supermarket, like "cheese food" or "cheese product?" Many of the cheese products and imitation cheeses found in supermarkets are labeled as such because they don't contain the milkfat or moisture content that would allow them to be judged by the same standards as pure cheese. They may contain little actual cheese and a lot of other things, like vegetable oil, food colorings, milk protein concentrate, and additivies like maltodextrin, potassium sorbate, and sodium phosphate. If you're looking for the real thing, read labels carefully, as these kinds of cheese products cannot legally be labeled simply as "cheese."